The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-03
ELECTRO PLATED C0RPSES
4 SCHEME THAT OUTRlVALS THE
MUMMlES OF EGYPT.

ones Silver Plated Ancestry-somo
Great Possibilities.
An ingenious PhiladeSs,hian has devised
process for the preservation OF bodies,
which will cause q blush OF envy agid
modification to mantle the wrinkled
check Of tho most ancient mummy the
tombs of Egypt can produce BY this
new method future generations may have
the pleasure of gazing upon their ancestry
in close semblance of their natural form,
with shape and outline carefully pre-
served and the whole body bcautified be-
You'd tho utmost possibilities Of nature.
No moro viii departed friends and rela-
tives be treasured up as bundles Of rags
and bones or as pinches Of ashes in ciner-
airy urns, but in the full form and size Of
their ante-mortem existence. The means
by which this wonderful transformation Is
to be accomplished Is but new applica-
ton of an old principle long in use in me-
chanic arts. 1t is simply the old and ia
miliar process Of electro-plating, which
furnishes modern households with so
many articles of ornament and utility.
Tho method of its application in tho
preservation of bodies Is as follows: The
corpse is first thoroughly washed with
alcohol or with O. solution of caustic pot
ash, followed by very dilute nitric acid, in
order to cleanse the body and remove all
traces Of oily or greasy exudations. Then
the entire surface of tho body, from which
Ill hair must be entirely removed, is
busted over with finely powdered plum
bago, caro- being taken to cover every por-
ton OF the surface. AS the purpose of tho
plumbago is to furnish o conducting sur
face any uncovered spot upon the corpse
would cause break in the plating
A METALLIC STROUD.
Tho Afrlcanized remnant of humanity
is then immersed in a bath of metallic
solution containing q lump of the metal
with which it is desired to coat the body.
10 the piece of metal IS attached the posi-
tive pole of strong Galvapic battery or
q powerful dynamo electric machine, and
.the negative polo is connected with the
body The action of the powerful current
of electricity Immediately commences,
covering the body with fine film OF
metal, which is deposited evenly over the
entire surface AS long as the electrical
current Is uninterrupted the deposit OF the
metal continues, and the coating may
thus be made Of any desired thickness.
In length of time proportional TO the
strength OF the electrical current the en-
tire body may be envolopod in q metallic
shroud an eighth or O quarter of an inch
in thickness, or oven more IL desired. BY
this impervioug coat the remains Gro thus
perfectly protected from decay, and may
be preserved for an indefinite number OF
years.
Outside Of its advantages as n method
Of preserving remains this process has
great commercial and artistic value. Tho
nlorguea of tho various large cities would
furnish an ample supply Of material
which might easily be worked up into
nickel plated dummies for Use By clothlors
or dry goods merchants in displaying car
mcnt1 and dress goods. With limb and
body arranged in graceful postures an I'M
claimed body could readily 10 transformed
into valuable work of nrt. Dying glad
iators, wrestler1 and Greek and RomGa
ilghrcs could. DO reproduced in unlimited
numbers Thus the unknown suicide and
bodies ilshed from ponds and rivers could
ind final resting places il art museums or
fashionable parlor3 instead Of being cut
and sawed asunder by the ambitious med
zeal student.
oliver PLATED ANCESTRY.
Ono can readily Imagine the feelings Of
pride with which the man Of hundred
years hence would lead his visitor into his
lhortuaEy chamber and point ont each
member Of his silver plated ancestry
beautifully polished and naturally grouped
about the room. There would be in those
days no need Tor an expensive burial lot
IN fashionable cemetery, and there would
IL. 10 IL ,AuAf
funeral Of to-day. In those days tho I'M
dertGkcr would simply DO an expert
clectroplater, and instead OF room full OF
sample collins and caslletJ he would Gim
ply exhibit few pieces of polished metal
and inquire of his customer: GLOW would
you Llsc to have the deceased finished, in
copper, nickel, silver or goldg'
10 the man Of the future who has
tcatc for art and antiques this process
offers great possibilities. Ancestors plated
with silver or nickel would be far moro
artistic ornaments than the rusty and an
Gent suits of armor which are so highly
priced In these days. Armed with lance
and shield, q grandfather thus prepared
would furnish valuable addition TO any
collection OF antiques and brio q brac.
Beautiful effects could be produced by
plating bodies with copper, which, By
atmospheric action, soon assumes the up
pearance Of beautiful bronze. by too
use Of plush or velves these bronzes could
easily be moAhtcd after the fashion Of to-
day. A copfRr colcred relative. well fln
ishcd and polished, might be exhibited Us
an excellent specimen of rcpoussc work.
Tho use of gold would produce piece Of
preserved pedigree moro valuable, more
novel end far mere beautiful than the
famous gold faced mummics which con-
tain all that was mortal of the Phareohs
OF Egypt. -Philadelphi Record.